Holder for exposure station of document copier



Dec. 6, 1966 w. R. HlcKs 3,289,562

HOLDER FOR EXIOSURE STATION OF DOCUMENT COPIER Filed May 24, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l AT TOR NEYS Dec. 6, 1966 w. R. HlcKs 3,289,562

HOLDER FOR EXPOSURE STATION OF DOCUMENT COPIER Filed May 24, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A58 58 BALLAST l BALLAST FLUORESC ENT LAMP HEATERS OF' LAMP 22 7,7 INVENTOR. wom WML BY MW ATTOR NEYS United States Patent O York Filed May 24, 1965, Ser. No. 458,085 2 Claims. (Cl. 95-77.5)

This is a continuation-impart of application Serial No. 251,531 filed January 15, 1963, now patent No. 3,203,333.

This invention relates to machines for making copies of letters, drawings, recipes and other written material.

It is an object of the invention to provide `a simplified copying machine which is less expensive tomanufacture than comparable machines of the prior art; and which can be used by operators without special training.

The invention is an improvement in machines for `making contact prints `on sensitized .paper such yas `diazo paper. One feature of the invention -relates to the holder by which the paper is wrapped around a transparent or translucent support through which light is projected to make the print. Another feature of the invention relates to the correlation of :an exposure timer and the generation of developer gas in a chamber in the .base of the machine for processing the exposed paper.

Other objects, features and -advantages of the invention will `appear or be pointed out as the `description proceeds.

In the drawing, forming a part hereof, in which like reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View showing the top, front and one side of 4a copying machine made in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on the plane 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, on the line 3-3 of FIGURE l, showing the cover in open position;

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic view, partly in section, on the plane 4-4 of FIGURE 1, showing tbe location of apparatus for the light control; and

FIGURES 5 and 6 are wiring diagrams for different modifications of the invention.

A molded plastic base ca'bine-t 10 Ahas externally mounted components enclosed -by a molded plastic cover 12, which is connected to the cabinet by a hinge 14. This hinge can be integrally molded so as to permanently join the cabinet .and cover 12, with the hinge composed of the same plastic material as the cabinet and cover, capable of withstanding successive flexures of opening and closing in excess of 1,000,000 .movement cycles. Alternately, t-he cabinet 10 and the cover 12 can be joined by a conventional hinge of the piano-leaf type. Stops and 15 on the cover 12 and cabinet 10, respectively, limit the opening of the cover.

A plastic flexible sheet 16 is :attached to the cabinet top lalong one horizontal edge. The opposite Ihorizontal edge is attached to the inner surface of the cover 12. The sheet 16 may Ibe transparent, -but it is .preferably a light-reflective sheet and sheets of Du Pont Mylan with a mirror-like surface confronting the cylinder 1S, has been used for commercial copiers made .in yaccordance with this invention. The reflection of light from the sheet 16 "ice reduces the exposure time when making copies. The sheet 16 unwraps `from the surface of a transparent plastic cylinder 18 when the cover is opened, and firmly wraps on the cylinder surface when the cove-r 12 is closed. A rm, even pressure of the sheet surface against the cylinder surface is insured by regulating the length of the sheet. The preferred length restrains the unhinged edge of cover 12 from touching the top surface `of the cabinet 10 when the cover is closed.

A cover .latch 17 includes an element 17a attached to the cover 12 and another element 17b secured to the fixed housing 10. There are complimentary teeth on these latch elements 17a and 17b which hook over one another to hold .the cover closed.

The extent to which the cover 12 can close at any partieular time depends upon the .amount o-f material between the cylinder 18 and the sheet 16. To allow for variations, one ofthe latch elements 17a and 17b is made with a plurality of teeth for hooking on the other element so that the cover 12 can be latched closed in different positions, which will be referred to hereinafter as substantially closed positions. In practice, the cover 12 is pushed into `as fully a closed position as necessary to put the sheet 16 under some tension and thus to hold a document and copy sheet firmly against the cylinder 18 for exposure, as will be explained.

The plastic cylinder 18 is held in pla-ce by end plates 19 that fit into the ends of the cylinder 18 and that are held down by spring clips 19a attached to the cabinet. The cylinder 18 rests on cradle blocks 19h, and the end plates 19 .support a uorescent lamp 22 .along the horiz-ontal axis of the cylinder 18. Lamp terminals 20 at each end of .the lamp are connected to flexible leads 21 running to compartment 36. Special strips 24 are applied to the outside sur-face of the lamp to effect a linear light output from the lamp, as later described in detail. Two compartments are integrally molded into the cabinet 10. One compartment 26 is located in the lower part of the cabinet 10. In this compartment 26 there is a plate 30 having openings 32 and 34 through which ammonia lgas circulates as indicated by the arrows in FIGURE 2. Another compartment 36 (FIGURE 4), at the right side of the cabinet an-d adjacent to compartment 26, houses certain electrical components, which will ,be described later.

Electrical components housed in the right-end compartment of cabinet 10 include a switch 42, a mechanical timer 44 (FIGURE 4), of the wound-spring variety, having a winding shaft 46 protruding through the top surface of the Icabinet 10, and .a pair of normally open electrical contacts 48 and 49 which close when the mechanism is wound, and open when the mechanism is completely unwound. v

A winding knob 50 fastened to the shaft 46 of the timer 44 is used in -combination with a series of scale markers on the faoe of the knob to in-dicate the degree to which the timer has been wound, and thus the time elapsing between initial closing, of the contacts 48 and 49, and the opening of these same contacts after unwinding of the timer mechanism.

The switch 42 (FIGURE 5) is operated by a pushbutton 43 with a pair of normally open contacts 54 and 56, of the momentary contact variety, being also mounted on the top surface of the cabinet 10. Depressfing the button 43 causes the contacts 54 and 56 to close;

releasing pressure on the push-button 43 opens the switch contacts. Two ballast coils 58, consisting of windings of copper wire around individual iron-laminated core structures, are mounted within :the compartment 36, and a conventional extension cord 60 with a plug 62 enters the compartment 36 through a tting 64 in the rear wall of the cabinet to allow connection to a wall receptacle with the required voltage rating.

End panels of the cover 12 are shaped so as to mask the light from a fluorescent tube lamp 22. Light rays 40, leaving the closed cover 12 through the aperture adjacent to the top surface of the cabinet 10, provide a tell-tale, or pilot lamp light, to indicate when the lamp is lighted. The lamp 22 also emits ultra-violet light rays having a frequency or wave length of approximately 3600o Angstrom. Since such rays can be harmful to the unshielded eye, the design of the copier is specific, in that the entire lighted lamp is shielded by the cover'12 during operation.

The flexible sheet 16 can be made from latex, woven stretch nylon, or other elastic material woven or rolled into sheet form. When such truly elastic sheets are used, the cover 12 can close -against a positive mechanical stop against the top surface of the cabinet 10 when the cover is closed, and the cover weight is used to provide positive closure only, and does not cause pressure of the sheet 16 against the surface of the cylinder 18 in the same manner as previously described.

To make a copy or duplicate of -an original page or document, the operator puts the original sheet in contact with a sheet of diazo-coated copy paper 65 (FIGURES 1 and 2) with the diazo-coated surface adjacent to the back, or -unprinted side of the original paper. The two papers are then introduced into the space between the cylinder 18 and the wrapping sheet 16, while the cabinet cover 12 is in the opened position and against the stops with the printed surface of the original paper in contact with the surface of the cylinder 18. The reference character 65 represents the original as well as the copy paper where the sheets are shown wrapping the cylinder. When the two papers are positioned between the cylinder 18 and the wrapping sheet 16, so that they have reached the limit of insertion at the point 66 where the wrapping sheet 16 is fastened to the top surface of the base cabinet 10, and is in contact with the surface at cylinder 18, the cover 12 is closed, and the wrapping sheet 16 forces both papers into close mutual contact and presses them -firmly against the cylinder 18.

The knob 50 of the timer 44 is then wound to the desired exposure time interval, closing the electrical contacts 48 and 49 of the timer, and partially completing the power circuit to the fluorescent lamp 22. Depressing the momentary switch push-button 43 completes the electrical circuit by closing switch contacts 54 and 56, causmg current to flow through the ballast coils 58 and the heater elements of the fluorescent lamp 22. After a brief interval, pressure on the button 43 is released, contacts 54 and 56 open, and current ceases to flow through the lamp heaters, and instead flows through the lamp, causlng it to light. Light from lamp 22 goes through the wall of the transparent cylinder 18, continues through the surface of the original paper, continues through the thickness of the original paper, and continues to the coated surface of the diazo copy paper.

When exposure time is ended, as indicated by the complete unwinding of the timer 44, the timer contacts 48 and 49 open, shutting off the lamp current and causing the lamp to go out. The cover 12 is then opened, the exposed diazo copy paper is removed for processing in the compartment 26.

In the construction shown in FIGURE 2 there is a cup 67 which fits into a socket 68 formed by a circular ridge on the bottom of the cabinet 10. A compound is placed in the cup 67 for generating ammonia gas. In the construction shown, this compound includes powder 70 and a pellet 71, but it will be understood that the compound can be entirely in powdered form or entirely in pellet form.

There is a heater element 72 in the bottom portion of the cup 67 and the powder 70 and pellet 71 are heated by the heater element 72 to cause the compound, of which the powder and pellet are made, to break down chemically and release ammonia gas into the chamber 26.

The heater element 72 is constructed with heater wires and the conductors 74 and 75 are connected in the electric circuit of the copier in the manner shown in FIG- URES 5 and 6. If desired, an incandescent lamp can be used as the heater element.

To generate an ammonia gas atmosphere in the cornpartment 26, the compartment port cover 110 is removed and a pellet or lozenge 71, made of a powdered ammonium compound, is placed in proximity with, or in con- -tact with, the heater element 72. When the heater element is supplied with current, the heat generated causes the ammonium compound pellet to change its state and to release ammonia gas which circulates through the compartment 26, as indicated by the -arrows in FIGURE 2. These circulation paths are important since the operation of the invention depends on efficient establishment of an ammonia gas environment within the compartment 26, and the maintaining of an adequate supply of gas continuously as exposed diazo paper copies .are inserted into the compartment for process-ing, and then withdrawn. The ammonia gas is used and replaced automatically as the result of the control of the heater element by the timer switch which controls 4the exposure` time.

Access to the comparement 26 for plate 30 is through a longitudinal slot in the front wall of the cabinet 10 (FIGURES 1 and 2). The slot 80 above the plate 30 is sealed by a roller 81 extending across substantially the full width of the compartment 26. The roller 81 preferably has flocking 82 in its circumferential surface for contact with the paper on the plate 30'.

The roller 81 has an axle 85 which extends into slotted bearings 86 at opposite ends of the roller. The slots per- -mit the roller 81 to move up and down and the axle 85 fits loosely in the bearings 86 Aand there are springs 87 urging the roller 8l into light contact with the front wall of the cabinet. These springs 87 and the weight of the roller 81 hold it -in contact with the upper surface of the plate 30 and the copy paper 65 when it is on the plate.

The partition plate 30 has a handle 90 at its forward end for pulling the plate 30 part way out of the cabinet for removing processed sheets and inserting new sheets into the compartment 28.

The plate 30, which serves as a tray for the sheets being processed, is supported at its forward end by the bottom of the slot 80, and is supported at its rearward end by angles 92 attached to the side Walls of the cabinet. Contact of the bottom of the plate 30 against the bottom of slot 80 serves as an additional seal to reduce gas leakage from the compartment 26. There is a fastening 94 near the rearward end of the plate 30.

There are sealing strips 83 and 84 attached to the top and bottom, respectively, of the plate 30 in front of the slot 80. These strips 83 and 84 may be made of sponge rubber weather stripping or other soft and gas-proof material. When the partition plate 30 is in its innermost position, as shown in FIGURE 2, the strips 83 and 84 seal the full length of the slot 80 both above and below the plate 30. When the plate 30 is moved to pull these strips 83 and 84 away from the front of the cabinet, then the roller 81 serves as the seal, but it does not provide so tight a seal and some gas can escape from the compartment.

There is a spring 96 which is attached at its forward end to the fastening 94 and at its rearward end to a fitting 98 secured to the back wall of the cabinet. When the plate 30 is pulled forward by the handle 90, and the handle is then released, the spring 96 pulls the plate 90 back into the cabinet.

There are two 'ribs 100 extending upwardly from the plate 30 at each edge of the plate and near its forward end. These ribs serve the dual purpose of lifting the roller 81 when the plate 30 is pulled forward; and as guides when a piece of exposed diazo paper is inserted through the slot 80 for processing.

As the plate 30 is drawn forward, the bevelled edges of the ribs 100 strike the roller 81, and as the plate 30 continues to move forward, the roller is lifted and supported by the top surfaces of the ribs 100, thus maintaining the slot 80 open for the free removal or insertion of a piece of diazo paper. Diazo paper 65 is inserted through the open slot 80 and is slid along the top surface of the plate 30, being limited at the rear by a restraining rib 106. After insertion of the paper, the handle 90 is released to permit the spring 96 to pull the plate 30 and the copy paper 65 into the compartment 26.

As the plate 30 moves rearward, the roller 81 resumes its normal lowered position in which it contacts with the top surface of the plate 30. Ammonia gas in compartment 26 then acts to process the exposed diazo paper image, which can be seen through the transparent cover 110 that screws over a rim 112 surrounding an opening 114 in the top wall of the cabinet. There is a gasket 116 for preventing leakage of ammonia through the opening 114. This cover 112 is removed when new pellets or lozenges 78 are to be inserted into the cup 66 through the opening 32 in the plate 30.

After the image on the diazo paper appears, and is of the proper density, the handle 90 is pulled to withdraw the plate 30. The plate 30 is pulled forward far enough so that a short length of the copy paper covering some of the openings 34 is outside of the cabinet. During the pulling, the roller 81 is first raised by the plate ribs 10i), then lowered to contact the copy paper 65. The paper 65 is then removed from the plate 30 by inserting a linger upward through one of the openings 32 and then grasping the paper to pull it forward out of the compartment 26. As the processed paper is pulled forward, the roller 81 remains in contact with the top surface of the paper and wipes away any surplus ammonia gas, thus reducing gas loss from the compartment to a minimum.

Operation of the invention as described permits the paper to be processed dry and does away with the necessity of liquids of any kind. There is no residue from the powder or pellets 78 on the surface of the paper and no danger whatever in handling the paper.

Action of the ammonia gas on the exposed diazo copy paper will cause the exposed images of letters or other information of the original to appear on the copy; but the time for this operation depends on the concentration of ammonia gas in the compartment 26, and varies from ve to twenty seconds. Exposure times for copying various original sheets vary from thirty seconds to 180 seconds, depending on the sensitivity of the diazo paper and the opacity of the original paper.

Although a fluorescent lamp containing the proper phosphor inner coating and the proper glass jacket is suitable for the production of the ultra-violet light 4required to expose the diazo-coated copy paper, such lamps do not have a uniform emission of light along the entire length of the lamp, tube or jacket. For this reason, a tube is used having a substantially greater length than the width of the paper to be copied or exposed. In addition, in order to prevent over-exposure of the copy paper at the central portion of the lamp, a series of opaque yrings or bands is impressed on the lamp jacket by tape, paint, etching or other means.

A lamp having a diameter of approximately one inch and an overall length of approximately eighteen inches, has been employed as a light source. Mathematical cornputations, followed by confirming experiments, show that opaque bands of approximately 9%16 in width, spaced approximately 3A on centers, effectively reduce the undesirable higher light emission from the central portions of a standard fluorescent lamp of this size, and produce a copy with substantially uniform exposure characteristics.

FIGURE 5 shows a circuit with two ballasts 58 and 58 for current limiting. Paralleling the ballasts effectively doubles the nominal lamp current, providing the necessary light for diazo copy paper exposure. Winding the timer 44 closes the timer switch; depressing the push button switch 42 allows current to flow through the lamp heaters; starting the arc discharge within the lamp is effected by releasing the button switch 42. Double the rated current flows through the lamp heaters with this method.

FIGURE 6 shows a current-limiting circuit which is the same as FIGURE 5, except that the momentary switch is changed to a twocircuit switch having one pair of contacts 54 and 56' normally open and a second pair of contacts 58 and 59 normally closedf After the timer 44 is wound, and the timer switch closed, the momentary switch button 42 is depressed, closing the circuit to the lamp heater through ballast 120 in the required fashion, but opening the circuit to ballast 122. In this manner only the nominally rated lamp starting current flows through the heaters, limited by the single ballast 120. When the switch button 42 is released, the ballast 122 is reconnected in parallel with the other ballast 120, doubling the lamp arc discharge current as designed. rl`he ballasts are mounted in the right-hand compartment of the copier, as shown in FIGURE 4.

When using the dry process illustrated in FIGURE 2, it is necessary to establish an initial gas atmosphere in the cabinet before performing the first processing operation on an exposed sheet. This is accomplished by setting the timer switch 44 for the maximum scale time. The heater element 72 (FIGURE 2) is powered through the timer switch and gas generation is thus started. Generation of gas stops when the timer switch 44 returns to its off position. During this initial charging cycle, there is no necessity to depress the button which lights the fluorescent exposure lamp.

After the compartment 26 has been charged with gas from the heated dry pellets or powder, copies may be made in the manner already described, and during each cycle, while the exposure lamp is lighted, current is supplied to the heater element 72 to release additional gas. However, because of the comparatively short exposure interval required by the average original material to be copied, gas is not liberated at the same rate as during the original charging period; but sufficient gas is released for replenishment purposes and to overcome the normal gas loss through the slot during the operation of the copier.

The invention has been illustrated and described, but changes and modifications can be made and some features can be used in different combinations without departing from the invention as defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for making contact prints including a relatively fixed and substantially cylindrical translucent support having a surface curved about a longitudinal axis and a source of light extending generally parallel to said longitudinal axis, a cover angularly movable with respect to the support between open and closed positions and that extends over the translucent support when in closed position for making a print, a sheet having one end fixed at a location close to the translucent support and having its other end connected to the cover remote from the axis of movement of the cover and movable with the cover from a position away from the support to a position wrapped around the support for the major part of the circumferential extent of the support as the cover is moved with respect to the support between open and closed positions, said sheet having a lightereective surface on at least that side of the sheet confronting the cylindrical support, said light-reflective surface reflecting most of the 7 light that strikes it so as to reduce the exposure time 2,421,150 of the copier. 2,492,476 2. The apparatus described in claim 1 characterized by 2,535,145 the sheet having a mirror-like surface and being made of 219841163 Mylan 5 3,203,333

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 828,531

910,832 1/1909 De Lukacsevics 95-77.5 X

2,223,341 12/1940 Ernest et al. 95-775 8 5/ 1947 Jacobson 95-77.5 12/1949 Harvey 95-77.5 X 12/1950 Langdon 95-73 5/1961 Giaimo 95-1.7 8/1965 Hicks 95-77.5

FOREIGN PATENTS 2/ 1960 Great Britain.

JULIA E. COINER, Primary Examiner.

Young et a1 95 77.5 10 EVoN C. BLUNK, Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR MAKING CONTACT PRINTS INCLUDING A RELATIVELY FIXED AND SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL TRANSLUCENT SUPPORT HAVING A SURFACE CURVED ABOUT A LONGITUDINAL AXIS AND A SOURCE OF LIGHT EXTENDING GENERALLY PARALLEL TO SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS, A COVER ANGULARLY MOVABLE WITH RESPECT TO THE SUPPORT BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS AND THAT EXTENDS OVER THE TRANSLUCENT SUPPORT WHEN IN CLOSED POSITION FOR MAKING A PRINT, A SHEET HAVING ONE END FIXED AT A LOCATION CLOSE TO THE TRANSLUCENT SUPPORT AND HAVING ITS OTHER END CONNECTED TO THE COVER REMOTE FROM THE AXIS OF MOVEMENT OF THE COVER AND MOVABLE WITH THE COVER FROM A POSITION AWAY FROM THE SUPPORT TO A POSITION WRAPPED AROUND THE SUPPORT FOR THE MAJOR PART OF THE CIRCUMFERENTIAL EXTENT OF THE SUPPORT AS THE COVER IS MOVED WITH RESPECT TO THE SUPPORT BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS, SAID SHEET HAVING A LIGHT-REFLECTIVE SURFACE ON AT LEAST THAT SIDE OF THE SHEET CONFRONTING THE CYLINDRICAL SUPPORT, SAID LIGHT-REFLECTIVE SURFACE REFLECTING MOST OF THE LIGHT THAT STRIKES IT SO AS TO REDUCE THE EXPOSURE TIME OF THE COPIER. 